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Supported by Climate By BRAD PLUMER and ERIC LIPTONMARCH 30, 2018 Continue reading the main story Share This Page Continue reading the main story WASHINGTON D.C. — Scott Pruitt, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, rented a residence in Washington in 2017 that was partly owned by the wife of a top energy lobbyist whose firm, according to disclosure forms, conducted business before the E.P.A. that same year.While the agency said on Friday that the arrangement was consistent with federal ethics rules, the developments come as Mr. Pruitt is already under fire from Congress regarding unrelated ethics questions. In February, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee ordered Mr. Pruitt turn over documents related to his first-class travel at taxpayer expense, questioning whether he had received the appropriate waivers to do so.The housing arrangement surfaced on Thursday after ABC News reported that Mr. Pruitt had paid $50 per night to rent a … [Read more...] about Scott Pruitt, E.P.A. Chief, Rented Residence From Wife of Energy Lobbyist

HAPPY FIRST DAY of summer … longest day of the year! “BORDER SURGE”! “Inside the border deal that almost failed,” by Carrie Budoff Brown and Manu Raju: “The answer to [the Gang of Eight’s] problem turned out to be simple: Throw money at it. The Congressional Budget Office issued a cost analysis late Tuesday predicting that the reform bill would trim the deficit by more than $1 trillion over the next two decades. Schumer’s top immigration aide suggested senators could funnel some of those savings into border security. And by Wednesday afternoon, Republican negotiators led by North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven and Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker had dropped their demand to make the path to citizenship for country’s 11 million undocumented immigrants contingent upon the government achieving a 90 percent apprehension rate along the border. In return, they secured a staggering $30 billion for what is now being called a ‘border surge.’ … [Read more...] about FORCE ONE, Obama weighs in with Schumer on Gang of Eight — BILL O’REILLY blesses border compromise — BETSY FISCHER MARTIN leaving ‘Meet’ after 20 yrs. to run NBC politics — ROB YARIN is new E.P.

This was posted Tuesday, March 14, 2017 by Rodney Ho on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog HLN continues to pluck talent from the ranks of CNN to populate its current all-female line up. Michaela Pereira, then Ashleigh Banfield, then Carol Costello, now S.E. Cupp. (Erica Hill is a former CNNer as well though she was working elsewhere immediately before coming to HLN.) Cupp is a political contributor for CNN and former “Crossfire” host. Her show is set to debut this summer. Costello’s is targeted for late April. Cupp’s show will air at 7 p.m. right before Banfield’s 8 p.m. show, which replaced Nancy Grace last October.The only long-term player left at HLN on air is Robin Meade, its morning star and remaining on-air talent left in Atlanta, where HLN is still theoretically based. All the newcomers, so far, have been based in New York or Los Angeles. And the only reason why Meade is still in Atlanta is because she wants to be and her popularity gives her that … [Read more...] about TV/radio briefs: HLN adds S.E. Cupp to prime-time lineup, Charles Ross, Crash Clark

By Lewis Krauskopf (Reuters) - The S&P 500 slipped on Friday on negative reactions to earnings reports from high-profile names such as Amazon, Exxon and Starbucks and a drop in shares of tobacco companies. The Dow industrials, however, set a record high, buoyed by Chevron after the energy company's results. Despite Friday's share reactions, results overall have come in better than expected for the second quarter and stocks are trading near record highs. More than halfway through reporting season, S&P 500 companies are on track to increase earnings by 10.8 percent, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Investors were also digesting data showing the U.S. economy accelerated in the second quarter as consumers ramped up spending and businesses invested more on equipment. “We have had a good earnings season. We have had pretty good economic results," said Bruce McCain, chief investment strategist at Key Private Bank in Cleveland. "But I think that there’s … [Read more...] about S&P 500 dented by earnings; Dow hits record high

By Rodrigo Campos NEW YORK (Reuters) - The "Trump trade" made a comeback on Thursday on Wall Street but the S&P and Dow industrials ended flat as former FBI director James Comey said President Donald Trump fired him to undermine an investigation into Russian meddling into last November's U.S. election. The Nasdaq Composite posted a record closing high boosted by gains in Nvidia and Yahoo. S&P 500 futures opened slightly lower for the overnight session after exit polls showed there was a likelihood for a hung British Parliament. Traders had been on tenterhooks ahead of Comey's testimony to a Senate committee, his first since being fired by Trump on May 9. His prepared remarks had been made public Wednesday. The market's concern on the issue is whether the Trump administration can put the investigation behind it and revive momentum for their agenda of lower taxes and looser regulations. Bets on that agenda are partly behind a rally that has taken stock indexes to record … [Read more...] about S&P 500, Dow flat after Comey testimony; futures dip after UK vote

(Reuters) - U.S. S&P 500 e-mini futures opened about 0.15 percent lower on Sunday as trading for the week got under way.Futures prices opened at 2,442.00, slipping after closing with a mix of gains and losses on major indexes on Friday following the Federal Reserve's symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. (Reporting by Dion Rabouin; Editing by Sandra Maler)(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Click For Restrictions … [Read more...] about S&P 500 e-mini futures open slightly lower

By Kimberly Chin (Reuters) - The benchmark U.S. S&P 500 stock index ended up slightly on Monday after two days of declines, though a drop in oil prices weighed on energy shares and tensions between the United States and North Korea kept investors on edge. Market participants began to turn their focus to the Federal Reserve meeting at Jackson Hole, Wyoming later this week which will be attended by Fed Chair Janet Yellen, European Central Bank president, Mario Draghi, and other global central bankers. Investors are looking for further direction on where monetary policy is headed given persistently low inflation in the U.S. and Europe. Fed Vice Chair William Dudley, who has in the past supported accommodative monetary policy, earlier this month said that the recent easing in financial conditions, despite Fed interest rate increases, is a reason to keep plans to tighten policy in place. "That confluence of strong growth and low inflation, which is somewhat like nirvana … [Read more...] about S&P 500 index gains after recent selloff; energy stocks fall

By Noel Randewich (Reuters) - The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq fell on Thursday, weighed down by Amazon.com, Apple and other top-shelf technology stocks, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up to a seventh straight record high. Stocks lost a little ground late in the session after the Wall Street Journal reported that Special Counsel Robert Mueller has impaneled a grand jury in Washington to investigate allegations of Russia's interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. "It's more distraction for the White House and less stability," said Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at Cornerstone Financial Partners. "It definitely was market moving." The S&P 500 information technology index , which has led other sectors in 2017, dipped 0.35 percent. Apple lost 1.0 percent after hitting a record high the day before. It and Amazon.com , down 0.90 percent, weighed more than any other stocks on the S&P 500. Silicon Valley electric carmaker Tesla jumped 6.50 … [Read more...] about Dow hits record high as Amazon, Apple pull down S&P 500

By Lewis Krauskopf (Reuters) - The S&P 500 climbed to an all-time high on Tuesday on a heavy day of corporate results highlighted by well-received reports from McDonald's and Caterpillar and gains for bank shares. The Nasdaq also managed to set a record high despite declines in Google parent Alphabet after its results. Alphabet shares ended down 2.9 percent. Shares of McDonald's rose 4.8 percent after the fast-food chain reported strong global sales. Caterpillar shares surged 5.9 percent after the heavy equipment maker raised its full-year outlook for the second time this year. Those stocks spurred the Dow industrials, leaving the index close to record territory. Data showing a jump in U.S. consumer confidence amid optimism over the labor market added to the bullish sentiment. "It feels like people are maybe getting a little more optimistic that things are, if not improving dramatically, then at least holding pretty steady in the economy and that would be pretty good … [Read more...] about Earnings, bank shares propel S&P 500 to record high

The dawn of the Obama presidency could not shake Wall Street from its dejection over the banking industry's growing problems and the overall state of the economy. The Dow dropped more than 300 points to below 8,000 - a 2-month low. The Nasdaq and S&P 500 each dropped more than 5%, according to CNN News. After hearing the new president's inaugural address Tuesday, investors continued selling, sending the major indexes down more than 2 percent. Traders on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange paused at times to watch the inauguration ceremony and Obama's remarks, but the transition of power didn't erase investors' concerns about the struggling economy. Obama said the economic recovery would be difficult and that the nation must chose "hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord" to overcome the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Investors are expecting Washington will be a central part of the economic … [Read more...] about Dow closes below 8,000 – a two-month low; Nasdaq and S&P 500 fall more than 5%